Now that Terry has found the hidden immunity idol what does this mean for the rest of the game? It could change the game forever or have no effect at all.
The hidden immunity idol is a great twist to the game of Survivor, in theory. Last season in Guatemala it added great excitement. When Gary pulled the tiny idol from his bag and saved himself from being voted off the look on Stephenie's face was priceless. But did it really change the game. No. Gary was voted off at the next Tribal Council. It only delayed the inevitable.
This season the producers, looking to capture some of that excitement again, built the show entirely around the idea of a hidden immunity idol. This time they added an island to hide the idol and only let the castaways search for it one at a time. Only if you're lucky/unfortunate enough to be exiled. They also changed they way you can use the idol. You do not have to reveal you have the idol until after the vote. Meaning, you can save it until you really need it. This creates an entire new dynamic when considering to vote off someone that has been to Exile Island.
Misty was the first person to be exiled. When she returned to her tribe she bluffed at the fact that she did find the idol. Did it save her? No, Misty was voted out in week 3. Bruce spent 6 days on Exile Island. He made 2 trips to the tiny island and I don't think he even looked for it. Terry, the 3rd person in about ten days to be banished, found the hidden idol within what seemed to be the first hour he arrived.
Now that Terry has the idol how will it effect the game? In my opinion, very little. Terry was already in a great position. He has a solid alliance with Dan and the rest of his tribe look to him as their leader. They don't know how to survive without him. When Terry was exiled they all missed him around camp were quickly deteriorating. With Terry in possession of the idol it might never be used at Tribal Council.
Terry could hold on to it, never use it and still make the final 2. A scenario that could possibly make him pull the idol out of his bag is if the tribes get shuffled. If he finds the odds suddenly turned against him. Another possibility, is at the time of the merge. If La Mina doesn't have the numbers going in, Terry might have to use the idol. I believe Terry is going to dominate at the individual Immunity Challenges so it still may not be a factor.
Now if someone else found the idol, someone that was not in such a great position as Terry, it could have really changed the game. Someone like Sally. If she had the idol and they attempted to vote her off, she could have thrown her vote to Terry sending him home. That alliance would then crumble. That would have been great TV. Seeing an underdog take down a giant like Terry.
The hidden immunity only changes Terry's game. For one, he cannot be blindsided at Tribal Council and secondly, he knows it will not save anyone else. Terry finding the idol has taken what could have been great twist and turned into nothing more than a useless gimmick.
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